Presenting you with opportunities to benchmark your institution’s own data against the findings…

And to use the information to build consensus and collaboration around your most important initiatives.

The talent management data in TalentIndex won’t change your missions, but it will undoubtedly change how you might pursue your mission.

Every time a chancellor or provost or CHRO makes a decision about acquiring, developing and managing top faculty and staff based off relevant data, their college or university gets closer to its goals.

As our customers know, with limited budgets the need to be strategic and to use the most current data and information available becomes increasingly more important.

“I really see my HR team using this as a point of reference to bolster employee engagement efforts, a broader focus on development and employee relations,” said Joe Vitale, CHRO of Oberlin College. “I think this data could be highly supportive in our presentations to senior staff as it really substantiates the need for a more comprehensive talent management strategy.”

That’s why PeopleAdmin is pleased to be able to bring you this year’s TalentIndex — because it can lead you to greater success.

‘I was kind of hesitant about the upgrade, but I love the way it works now’

For some institutions, the excitement of improving their existing talent management processes by implementing an upgraded solution can be tempered with concerns they may briefly give up access to the tools they need most — reporting functionality, search committee features, and social recruiting capabilities, for example.

But when going from PeopleAdmin’s 5.8 to SelectSuite 7®, they’re forgetting one important feature: The implementation process itself has also been upgraded.

“Our upgrade implementation was nothing but a wonderful experience,” said Wendy Haynes, manager of compensation and recruitment at Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas. “PeopleAdmin really took us through the process step by step, leaving no stones unturned and not pushing too quickly or too fast so as to miss something along the way. They were always a step ahead. So, that shift from 5.8 to SelectSuite was smooth and easy for us.”

Now, colleges and universities — including the University of Kentucky (UK) in Lexington — can turn their attention to the immediate use of the enhanced and most-evolved talent management tools they need.

“Coming from 5.8, when I first saw SelectSuite, I was so excited to see how modern it was,” said Alex Ortiz, employment compliance coordinator at UK. “And it’s been updated recently to continue to stay modern.”

Even the concerns that might occur with a SelectSuite 7 upgrade seem understandable — even natural — but, without a doubt, workable, said Emily Wilson, professional development coordinator for Appalachian State University (App State) in Boone, North Carolina.

“Anytime you have a new system, some people will resist the change,” she said. “There were a few bumps in the road, but it wasn’t the fault of the product. After showing them how quickly they could accomplish their tasks with SelectSuite, however, most of them came around.”

Anytime, anywhere access

SelectSuite 7 allows users to access information and complete tasks whenever and wherever they choose, as long as they have an internet connection.

“Our faculty is really excited about being able to travel this summer and still work on their recruitment,” said LynnAnn Brewer, employment manager at Texas State University in San Marcos. “They’re excited about the mobile functionality, too, because they all work off their phones.”

Cynthia J. Bartelson, director of human resources at Worcester Polytechnic Institute (WPI) in Massachusetts, has enjoyed the increased access, as well. “Even when out of the office, we’re able to provide the WPI hiring departments with all their applicants due to the mobile functionality.”

Applicants also have mobile-friendly access, which impressed the hiring managers at Texas State. “Every time I mentioned that applicants can now apply online with their mobile phones, they were like, ‘Wow! This is awesome. I can’t believe you guys are that progressive,’” LynnAnn, with Texas State University, explained. “I said, ‘Yeah, we have a really good partner: PeopleAdmin.’”

Collect and report on equal opportunity and diversity information

For Sharron Gatling, assistant director of equal opportunity at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia, the ability to easily gather and summarize equal opportunity and diversity information helped her get past her initial reluctance to upgrade.

“At first I was kind of hesitant about the upgrade, but I love the way it works now. You just put in your filters and pull your information,” Sharron said. “It’s a requirement for us to have certain demographic information about our applicants. Now, I can just click a button, change my filters, select the dates, and there it is.”

She also noted that search committee management features help with compliance.

“For me, working in equal opportunity, it’s important to be able to do a step analysis in terms of our searches. I need to know what happens when and how people move through the process,” Sharron said. “If we have an audit or a case of discrimination, we have to be able to prove how we evaluated all of our applicants.”

Developing a long-term relationship

For many former 5.8 users, maintaining their relationships with PeopleAdmin was a major factor in choosing SelectSuite 7 over a new solution.

“I saw how important PeopleAdmin was to our business, and I saw the long-standing relationship there,” said LynnAnn of Texas State.

Cynthia at WPI expressed similar feelings. “The consistency of the community is extremely important, especially in higher education.”

Those relationships are also allowing colleges and universities to tackle strategic initiatives beyond upgrades.

“The collaborative relationship I’ve developed with PeopleAdmin has definitely allowed me to explore new avenues for process improvements,” said Emily at App State. “We’re constantly growing as a university, and PeopleAdmin has done a great job supporting us.”

PeopleAdmin has released the 2016 Higher Education TalentIndex benchmarking report, which compiles dozens of data points on higher education growth, benchmarks, trends and challenges from nearly 400 higher education professionals. PeopleAdmin, which serves nearly 700 higher education institutions across the nation, also used some of its own system data.

The report shows that the state of higher education remains strong, but challenges continue to hinder opportunities for improvements around acquiring, developing and managing top faculty and staff.

Nearly 70 percent of colleges and universities surveyed either did not track performance or could not report results. Interestingly, the report found there is a connection between tracking key talent metrics and securing funding for additional human resources staff.

Kermit Randa, PeopleAdmin CEO, said this year’s findings really substantiate the need for a more comprehensive talent management strategy among higher education institutions, especially when it comes to combining data, technology and analytics to better understand the people issues behind many of their current challenges.

“Education leaders can start by benchmarking their institution’s own data against the findings presented in the TalentIndex,” Randa said. “They can then use that information to help build consensus and collaboration around initiatives that enable their campuses to accomplish their goals.”

Higher education talent management professionals agree that the 2016 TalentIndex can help them develop strategic partnerships within their institution.

“Where I see using information like the TalentIndex is in conversation … with division heads, deans, and select leaders of our shared governance groups to help them develop a deeper understanding of the value of HR and how much we really can help the institution,” said Tim Danielson, associate vice chancellor & director of HR, University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee.

Download the report today!

Use your words: Speaking up for diversity in higher education

When it comes to promoting diversity at your college or university, often the most impactful thing you can do is have difficult conversations.

“We all have to sometimes take a risk to say, ‘Hey, that’s not right’ when something’s happened that’s wrong,” said Nancy Aebersold, founder and executive director of the Higher Education Recruitment Consortium (HERC).

Those who wish to promote diversity on their campus must also have conversations that bring their own prejudices — both conscious and subconscious — to light.

“Talk about biases and stereotypes,” said Sharron Gatling, assistant director of equal opportunity at the College of William and Mary in Williamsburg, Virginia. “We are human, so we all have them. But talk about those things and how that interferes with the learning process, recruiting process and hiring process — have open conversations and dialogue. We can’t move forward if we’re scared to talk about the elephant that’s in the room.”

Of course, conversations about diversity should include everyone — including those who disagree with diversity initiatives.

“You have to make space for everyone at the table,” Nancy said. “The critical work is bringing in the people who might be skeptical, or they might not see the business case for diversity, or they might not hold that as an aspirational place to go. But really understanding their viewpoints and where they’re coming from is just as much a part of the diversity and inclusion equation as anyone else’s perspective.”

While these conversations are often difficult and unpleasant, it’s necessary to understand what barriers your institution is facing and how you can overcome them. But talking about diversity is only one part of the equation.

PeopleAdmin is now bringing you tips, tricks and advice directly from experts in higher education talent management through a brand-new podcast series.

In the first edition, Nancy Aebersold, founder and executive director of the Higher Education Recruitment Consortium (HERC), offered three tips to help you enhance diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) at your college or university.

“Making sure that your diversity plan is really comprehensive and that you’ve got the best thinkers looking at it and that you’ve got executors who can make sure that you’re meeting those benchmarks is critically important,” Nancy said.

Edward Wilson Jr., Ph.D., director of strategic partnerships at PeopleAdmin and former director of academic affairs at the University of Kansas Medical Center, provided additional information regarding diversity in the following edition.

“I think it’s really important to have colleges and universities embrace the concept of diversity at all levels,” Edward said. “To do that, you have to really empathize with underrepresented groups.”

“A lot of vendors claim to be focused on higher education in their marketing, but they’re not going to take the in-depth look into the metrics and analytics that PeopleAdmin does. We really appreciate the expertise they brought to the table.”

“PeopleAdmin is awesome. They’re always thinking forward and trying to come up with solutions for us, and that’s something we greatly appreciate.”

— Shannon Phillips, Assistant Director of Technology and Compensation Specialist, University of Arkansas

“You work as a team, really understanding your higher education customers. This is what makes PeopleAdmin so different from anyone else out there.”

— Neil Jones, Academic Affairs, Georgia College & State University

Need to double-check your onboarding process?

Onboard now features the CUPA-HR Onboarding Checklist

Is your institution putting its best foot forward?

“I’ve never heard anyone say that they don’t need to improve their onboarding,” said Andrea Brown, director of HR services at the University of Utah in Salt Lake City.

According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), employees who attend a well-structured onboarding or orientation program are nearly 70 percent more likely to remain with that employer for up to three years.

Now, with help from PeopleAdmin and CUPA-HR — a well-respected association for HR professionals in higher education — improving onboarding is easier than ever.

In addition to automating the technical aspects of onboarding, PeopleAdmin’s Onboard® now features the CUPA-HR Onboarding Checklist — a comprehensive checklist of critical new hire onboarding tasks to help ensure a positive first impression for higher education employees.

“Onboarding is one of the most important things in HR,” said Anthony Cross, HR consultant at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, New Jersey. “That’s the first impression.”

View the brochure to learn how this expert-designed checklist can help your college or university deliver an effective onboarding process that leads to improved retention and engagement.

How attending a User Group can benefit your institution

For those who have previously attended a SelectSuite User Group, the value is undeniable.

For some, it’s the chance to learn how to get the most out of their solution. For others, it’s hearing how to best handle today’s talent management challenges. Whatever the reason, you’re sure to enjoy the experience and walk away with new and valuable insights.

And, for the first time, we’re offering Virtual User Groups — allowing you to take advantage of all the great information right from your desk.

“I went to a User Group when we were in the middle of implementation,” said LynnAnn Brewer, employment manager at Texas State University in San Marcos. “We got to talk to other folks and see what they were doing, and we were able to make a few little tweaks that really helped us. It was so great.”

Stefan Stoyanof, business systems analyst at South Texas College in McAllen, had a similar experience. “I learned a lot,” he said. “It was wonderful.”

Introducing the Ambassador Program — and 3 reasons you should join

Each of our customers has an amazing story to tell … and we want to hear yours.

Through our new Ambassador Program, you can share your knowledge and experience, while showcasing your institution’s success by:

Taking part in a case study or Customer Spotlight interview

Hosting a User Group meeting

Leading or co-presenting a thought leadership webinar

Speaking as a PeopleAdmin reference

Providing a quote for publication

Sharing your story in a video testimonial

Participating in blogs and social media posts

Speaking at industry and PeopleAdmin events

Even before officially creating our Ambassador Program, PeopleAdmin gave our customers the opportunity to take part in these activities. Customers who participated noted three important benefits:

1. Enhanced personal development
“I have found whenever I share something with colleagues about a system, I invariably receive a return on that effort — either by expanding my network or learning things from those with whom I am sharing. It’s always been a win-win for me”

–Gracie Reiff, Manager of Compensation and Human Resources Information, Ball State University

2. Expanded professional network
“Presenting program sessions at PeopleConnect, and alongside PeopleAdmin at regional and national conferences, has been a valuable and rewarding experience. It has given me a forum to share my story while challenging me to think in new ways and broaden my professional network.”

–Jennifer Derry, Director of Training and Staff Development, Villanova University

3. Increased input into product enhancements
“PeopleAdmin has provided a number of forums to allow its clients to engage in 360 feedback. From the beneficial periodic round tables and webinars to the annual PeopleConnect conference, Tarleton HR staff have been fortunate to participate, learn, and contribute valuable feedback regarding SelectSuite and beyond. We very much appreciate PeopleAdmin’s interest in hearing from professionals in the field.”

–Wendy Haynes, Manager of Compensation and Recruitment, Tarleton State University

‘The man I am today and the teacher I became can be traced to the loving work of Miss Alma Ash’

Everyone has a favorite teacher. Have you ever taken the time to say ‘thank you’ to yours?

“Miss Ash believed in me when everyone else in my school did not,” wrote James Robertson, adjunct history professor at Montgomery County Community College in Pennsylvania and recent Inspired2Educate scholarship recipient. “She encouraged me, guided me and helped me tackle problems that, if not corrected, would have doomed me for life.”

Inspired2Educate is a national recognition program that gives educators — all employees of an educational institution — an opportunity to honor the teacher or administrator who inspired them to pursue education as their life’s work.

Join K-20 faculty, staff, and administrators from across the country in promoting positive dialogue about the transformative power of education by sharing your story. Each month, PeopleAdmin selects a submission and awards the author with a $1,000 scholarship for professional development and $1,000 for his or her educational institution.

See how easily you can become a product expert

Save 25%-30% on SelectSuite Certified Administrator training

SelectSuite 7® is designed to help you work more efficiently, but if you’re not aware of all the best features, functionalities and workflows, then you might not be getting the results you deserve.

Becoming a SelectSuite Certified Administrator (SSCA) ensures you know your solution as well as the engineers who designed it. Customers who have already completed the certification appreciate the increased knowledge they gained during training.

“As a Certified Administrator, I now have the confidence and system expertise to effectively consult our various university units with their unique challenges,” said Jason Killmeyer, project & data manager at the University of Pittsburg. “This new understanding provides me with the opportunity to take full advantage of new system updates, enhancements and opportunities to improve and streamline our processes.”

NeeCee Cornish, director of information at the Western University of Health Sciences in Pomona, California, noted similar benefits. “As a Certified Administrator, I feel more like a partner than a customer. I can now speak the same language, guide my institution to making educated decisions regarding site changes, and respond nimbly to the ever-increasing demands of my organization.”

And SelectSuite Certified Administrator training just got more affordable. You can now take advantage of 25 percent off your first seat and 30 percent off your second seat. This deal is good for the November class only.

Higher education talent management is constantly evolving, and you need technology that can keep up. That’s why we’ve been hard at work behind the scenes to provide you with meaningful updates and improvements.

Performance Management now allows:

HR to reopen and reassign tasks, providing greater flexibility and helping to ensure a smooth review process. Now, if attachments are forgotten, a form is incomplete, a supervisor wants to modify an evaluation, or an employee transitions jobs, HR can step in.

Any number of approvers to participate in the review process. In addition, you can reassign tasks to employees who are not directly in the approval path.

Supervisors and employees to send plans and evaluations back and forth until both parties approve.

Supervisors to see real-time updates to calculations on evaluations. This means supervisors can see how their ratings affect the overall score for their employees as they’re working through evaluations.

Self-evaluations or forms that don’t require a supervisor evaluation. This will simplify faculty reviews that are more narrative in nature and allow employees to focus on reporting what was done throughout the year.

Review sections or tabs can be weighted as part of the overall score calculation.

HR to generate on-the-fly reviews without calling support.

“With Performance Management, we’re able to ask questions that get managers and their staff thinking about their jobs in different ways, rather than it just being a ‘Hey, what did you do over the past 12 months?’”

Jennifer Derry, Director of Training and Staff Development, Villanova University

“Having the ability to change our organizational structure when we have to and assign our users access by group or organizational structure has been hugely valuable to us.”

Wendy Haynes, Manager of Compensation and Recruitment, Tarleton State University

Records now allows:

Filtering the contracts report by the following criteria:

Locations/Departments

Job Types

Contract Sent Date

Contract Signed Date

Completed

Not Completed

Archived

Retracted

Enhanced checklist dashboard access beyond HR/System Admins.

Users can now see a dashboard for staff they have access too.

The ability to automate email reminders for overdue tasks.

The ability to give access to individual personnel action forms by security group or a role within the organization.

Applicant Tracking

SelectSuite features new search committee enhancements, including:

Improved look and feel on the Search Committee tab of job postings.

Easier options for assigning search committee members.

More intuitive applicant evaluations — including the ability to evaluate directly from the application summary page.

Enhanced visibility into which applicants have been reviewed and into which need attention.

Did you know?

SelectSuite allows you to easily remove outdated data from your system
After several years of collecting applicant information, data can become hard to navigate and may even violate your internal data retention policies. That’s why SelectSuite allows data purging.

How does it work?
Simply configure SelectSuite to delete postings after a set period of time based on one or more workflow states.

Working hard to ‘make sure the customer’s experience is positive, memorable and efficient’

Q; What is your role at PeopleAdmin?“I help customers get the most out of their PeopleAdmin 5.8 systems and provide them with a roadmap to adopt SelectSuite and add new capabilities.”

Q: Using only three words, how would you describe our customers?“Dedicated, caring and flexible.”

Q: PeopleAdmin wants to provide every customer with an amazing customer experience. What does that mean to you?“It means going above and beyond to make sure their experience with PeopleAdmin is positive, memorable and efficient — even if that means advocating internally for a different path to achieve the same mutual goal.”

Q: You recently returned to the PeopleAdmin family. When did you come back?“I rejoined PeopleAdmin in April after a year with another software provider in higher education.”

Q: What made you return?“The people – both our customers and PA staff.

“I found I missed working with HR contacts. They really are the most personable, approachable, passionate and flexible group I’ve worked with.

“I also appreciate the mission of PeopleAdmin and our dedicated focus on education. In the year I was gone, PeopleAdmin delivered on commitments to our SelectSuite clients — features such as apply with LinkedIn and resume parsing. I was impressed with the commitment, and that was a contributing factor in my decision to return.”

Q: If you could ensure all of our customers knew one key piece of information to help them do their jobs better, what would it be?“Never assume something can’t be done in the system. Often we can find a way, even if it’s not evident at first glance.”

Q: What is PeopleAdmin’s best kept secret?“The PeopleAdmin Certified Administrator Program. It really is the key to getting the most out of your system quickly and efficiently. There is an investment up front, but the self-service and empowerment payoff is huge.”

Q: It’s college football season – what’s your team?“Longhorns, all the way — I’m an alum. Hook ‘em!”

Many organizations rely on multiple software solutions to streamline and simplify various processes, but using segregated systems can make it difficult to keep up with all the various data inputs, tasks and reports.

To recruit and hire diverse, talented faculty who can help them fulfill their vision of being “a model for inclusive and transformative education,” leaders at Salt Lake Community College (SLCC) are focused on creating a positive candidate experience.

According to the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), employees who attend a well-structured onboarding or orientation program are nearly 70 percent more likely to remain with that employer for up to three years.